California Association of Professional Music Teachers is State Affiliate of the Year.

California Association of Professional Music Teachers (CAPMT) is this year's MTNA State Affiliate of the Year and is more than 1,000 members strong. CAPMT, under the leadership of President Darlene Vlasek, carries out its mission to raise the standards of music education and promote the art of music throughout the state through its active involvement in state, as well as MTNA national, programs.

"The California Association of Professional Music Teachers has made significant strides in re-structuring the association to meet the needs of the twenty-first century teacher," says MTNA President Phyllis I. Pieffer, NCTM.

Five years ago the state planning senate adopted a long-range plan to continually review all parts of the organization: membership and mentoring, state student programs, the association's ability to effectively communicate with membership, and encourage and promote new leadership on the local and state levels.

Over the past five years, the association has continued to develop and refine each of its programs to meet members' needs. Among those developments were the redesign of the state newsletter and the creation of a state website. In addition, student recitals have been moved from the state conference and placed in two piano and ensemble festivals, one in the north and one in the south. Also during this time frame, a state endowment fund was established and brochures were printed to promote the "Teach a Lesson for the Endowment Campaign."